Why is there often such a wide gap between Jesus’ bold promises about prayer and our actual experience of prayer? Is Jesus guilty of false advertising, or are there other explanations? Todd addresses the elephant in the room in any conversation on prayer through the story of Lazarus.
Read MoreContemplative prayer is viewed with scepticism in much of the church today. At best, it’s seen as the domain of monks and introverts. But are we missing a vital tool in helping us connect with God and become like Jesus? Todd explores what contemplative prayer is, why it’s so important, and how we can practice it in our everyday lives.
Read MoreHearing the voice of our loving Father — is one of the greatest joys of prayer. But many struggle with it because it feels too difficult, because it seems unbiblical, or because we have been hurt by others who claim to have heard God. As we continue our series on the Practice of Prayer, Ian unpacks how hearing God is a normal part of the Christian life that is far simpler than we might imagine.
Read MoreMost of us feel like we should be praying more. But if we’re honest, few of us understand WHY we need to pray more. Does prayer actually change anything? Or will God just do whatever He’s going to do anyway? Jesus taught that prayer is both the primary means of developing our relationship with God, as well as decisively affecting the shape of the future.
Read MoreWhen it comes to prayer, most of WANT to pray, but often we don’t know HOW to pray. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, He didn’t say, “Just say whatever’s on your mind.” Instead, He taught them a scripted prayer — what we call the Lord’s prayer. We often tend to resist scripted prayers because they feel impersonal or inauthentic. But scripted prayers aren’t limiting our prayers, they’re doorways into prayer.
Read MoreAs we begin the season of Lent, it’s not uncommon to hear someone talk about some indulgence they’re “giving up for Lent.” But why is fasting a part of Lent? What is it meant to accomplish in our hearts? Lauren shares how God uses the practice of fasting to draw us closer to Himself.
Read MoreWhen you join a gym, you can reasonably expect you’ll become fitter as a result. But what can you expect from being part of a church? What impact will it have on your life? Todd explains how God uses church in a variety of ways to form us to become like Jesus.
Read MoreThe Roberts are back! Yesterday, our Lead Pastors Todd and Lauren shared their experiences from their Sabbatical — how they experienced Jesus in fresh ways through the practice of solitude, as well as receiving the peace of God in places of anxiety. If you need a greater experience of God’s rest and peace, be sure to give this a listen!
Read MoreAs we wrap up our series on the parable of the sower we look at both what it means to be good soil and what harvest we can expect to produce. Join us as we unpack how obedience to God's word leads to our lives being transformed in a way that shapes the world around us.
Read MoreWe live in a culture where we are constantly bombarded with reasons to be concerned as well as the message that the more we have, the happier we will be. As we continue our series on the parable of the four soils, Ian shares how this leads to a divided heart, which crowds out the word of God. If we want to be people of 'Good Soil' we need to learn how to recognise and remove any thorns that have begun to grow in our hearts.
Read MoreAs we continue our series on the Parable of The Sower, we narrow in on the seed that fell on shallow soil. Join us as Ian unpacks how this soil represents a shallow faith, as well as how we can develop a healthy root system into God's love.
Read MoreJesus taught through The Parable of the Sower that the posture of our hearts determines the fruit that we see in our lives. How can we be sure that our hearts reflect the 'good soil' that produces good fruit? Join us as Ian begins a new series looking into the four heart postures Jesus describes and how we can identify them in our lives.
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